English

Why is the subject important?

Our English curriculum at Trinity Academy Bradford equips all students with the functional skills needed for later life, whilst nurturing a passion and love of literature from across the world. We work as a team to ensure that our curriculum is tailored and differentiated to meet the needs of our cohort to allow each of our students the opportunity to thrive in English and beyond.

Through the study of English Literature, our students develop a knowledge of and embrace cultural capital through a variety of well-considered texts across the English cannon; students are exposed to a range of contextual backgrounds and momentous historical events. These underpin and explore our core values as a school.

Through the study of English Language, we foster the analytical thinking of our students in order to develop their inquisitive natures which will empower them to criticise the things that they read, see and hear in the modern world. It is our aim to ensure that students have a comprehensive vocabulary to access and articulate challenging ideas. We endeavour to teach students a range of oracy and literacy skills which make them effective communicators across a range of modes and mediums.

Year 7

What will I be studying?

  • Gothic Horror
  • Crime
  • Romance and Violence
  • Gothic and Dystopian

How will I be assessed?

There are six assessments over the course of the year. They are broken down into three reading assessments and three writing assessments.

  • Assessment 1: Writing assessment – Fiction writing (descriptive) assessment linked thematically to Gothic Horror and Darren Shan’s Cirque du Freak
  • Assessment 2: Reading assessment – Non-fiction reading assessment linked thematically to Gothic Horror and Darren Shan’s Cirque du Freak
  • Assessment 3: Writing assessment – Fiction writing (narrative) linked thematically to the Crime genre and the novel Stone Cold
  • Assessment 4: Reading assessment – Fiction reading assessment linked thematically to the Crime genre students have been studying
  • Assessment 5: Writing assessment – Non-fiction writing assessment linked thematically to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet
  • Assessment 6: Reading assessment – Non-fiction reading assessment linked thematically to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet

Knowledge Organisers

  • Term 1 – Cirque de Freak: Introduction
  • Term 2 – Cirque de Freak: Development
  • Term 3 – Stone Cold
  • Term 4 – The Hound of the Baskervilles
  • Term 5 – Romeo and Juliet
  • Term 6 – Gothic and Dystopian

Which websites should I use to support my learning?

What will I be studying? 

  • Civil unrest
  • Thriller
  • Poems of canon, contemporary and culture
  • Mystery

How will I be assessed?

There are six assessments over the course of the year. They are broken down into three reading assessments and three writing assessments.

  • Assessment 1: Writing assessment – Non-fiction writing assessment linked thematically to civil unrest and George Orwell’s Animal Farm
  • Assessment 2: Reading assessment – Non-fiction reading assessment linked thematically to civil unrest and George Orwell’s Animal Farm
  • Assessment 3: Writing assessment – Fiction writing (narrative) linked thematically to the short story collection students have been studying
  • Assessment 4: Reading assessment – Fiction reading assessment linked to the poetry genre they have been studying
  • Assessment 5: Writing assessment – Non-fiction writing assessment linked thematically to J.B. Priestley’s An Inspector Calls
  • Assessment 6: Reading assessment – Non-fiction reading assessment linked thematically to J.B. Priestley’s An Inspector Calls

Knowledge Organisers

  • Term 1 – Animal Farm: Introduction and language
  • Term 2 – Animal Farm: Punctuation and language
  • Term 3 – Short story collection & poetry: Vocabulary and techniques
  • Term 4 – Poetry collection: Techniques and vocabulary
  • Term 5 – An Inspector Calls: Dramatic conventions and punctuation
  • Term 6 – Persuasive strategies

Which websites should I use to support my learning?

What will I be studying?

  • Literature throughout time, including post-colonial and war time literature
  • An Introduction to tragedy including Othello, The Duchess of Malfi and A Streetcar Named Desire
  • 20th Century drama
  • Viewpoint writing and non–fiction

How will I be assessed?

  • Assessment 1: Reading Skills – Using an extract from Of Mice and Men, students will be assessed on their ability to understand an extract and analyse language (1 hour)
  • Assessment 2: Writing Skills – Inspired by the characters in The Duchess of Malfi, students will produce a piece of extended writing, describing two contrasting characters (1 hour)
  • Assessment 3: Reading Assessment – Students will be assessed on how well they understand the characterisation used by Tennessee Williams in A Streetcar Named Desire (1 hour)
  • Assessment 4: Literature Reading Assessment – Students will produce an extended essay to assess their understanding of Blood Brothers (1 hour)
  • Assessment 5: Speaking and Listening – Students will write and perform a speech on a topic of their choice, drawing inspiration from the previous term’s themes

Knowledge Organisers

  • Term 1 – Of Mice and Men: Themes and context
  • Term 2 – Short Stories: Colonialism, World War 2 and beyond
  • Term 3 – Drama and Tragedy: Othello
  • Term 4 – Drama and Tragedy: The Duchess of Malfi and A Streetcar Named Desire
  • Term 5 – Blood Brothers: Context, Characters and Plot
  • Term 6 – Big Ideas: Education, Gender and The Power of the Media

Which websites should I use to support my learning?

What will I be studying? 

  • AQA English Language Paper 1: Explorations in creative writing and reading
  • AQA English Language Paper 2: Writers’ viewpoints and perspectives

How will I be assessed? 

Paper 1: Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing

Section A: Reading

  • One literature fiction text

Section B: Writing

  • Descriptive or narrative writing

 Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes

80 marks

50% of GCSE

Questions:

Reading (40 marks) (25%) – four questions based on one previously unseen fiction text

Writing (40 marks) (25%) – one extended writing question (24 marks for content, 16 marks for technical accuracy)

Paper 2: Writers’ Viewpoints and Perspectives

Section A: Reading

  • One non-fiction text and one literary non-fiction text

Section B: Writing

  • Writing to present a viewpoint

 Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes

80 marks

50% of GCSE

Questions:

Reading (40 marks) (25%) – four questions based on two previously unseen non-fiction texts

Writing (40 marks) (25%) – one extended writing question (24 marks for content, 16 marks for technical accuracy)

Non-examination Assessment: Spoken Language

  • Presenting
  • Responding to questions and feedback
  • Use of Standard English

Which examination board am I following? 

Exam Board: AQA

Specification: 8700

Website: https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/english/gcse/english-language-8700

Which websites should I use to support my learning? 

What will I be studying?

  • English Literature Paper 1: Shakespeare and the 19th century novel
  • English Literature Paper 2: Modern texts and poetry

Studied Content:

  • Macbeth (Shakespeare)
  • A Christmas Carol (19th century novel)
  • Blood Brothers (Modern text)
  • Power and Conflict Poetry (Poetry)
  • Unseen Poetry (Unseen)

How will I be assessed?

Paper 1: Shakespeare and the 19th-century novel

How it is assessed:

  • written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes
  • 64 marks
  • 40% of GCSE

Questions:

Section A Shakespeare (34 marks): students will answer one question on their play of choice. They will be required to write in detail about an extract from the play and then to write about the play as a whole.

Section B The 19th-century novel (30 marks): students will answer one question on their novel of choice. They will be required to write in detail about an extract from the novel and then to write about the novel as a whole.

Paper 2: Modern texts and poetry

How it is assessed:

  • written exam: 2 hour 15 minutes
  • 96 marks
  • 60% of GCSE

Questions:

Section A Modern texts (34 marks): students will answer one essay question from a choice of two on their studied modern prose or drama text.

Section B Poetry (30 marks): students will answer one comparative question on one named poem printed on the paper and one other poem from their chosen anthology cluster.

Section C Unseen poetry (32 marks): Students will answer one question on one unseen poem and one question comparing this poem with a second unseen poem.

Which examination board am I following?

Exam Board: AQA

Specification: 8702

Website: https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/english/gcse/english-literature-8702

Which websites should I use to support my learning?